Jonas was born late 1817 to early 1818 in Tennessee. The earliest record for Jonas A. Copass is the 1840 census record. It has his name listed and a check mark under the male column for ages 20-30 and has a women listed under the ages of 15 and 20 years old. Jonas listed just two people living at home in Monroe County, Kentucky in 1840. Before 1850 the census just listed head of house hold which was typically the husband and no other names would be listed, just check marks under the age columns. The women listed on the 1840 census most likely is his wife Sarah but with no name listed i'm not sure?

On the 1850 census it has the family living still in Monroe County, Kentucky. Jonas listed his birthplace to be Tennessee and his Occupation is a Farmer. It shows Jonas to be 32 years old at the time the census was taken. His wife Sarah listed her age as 23 years old and her birthplace to be Kentucky. They listed 4 children; William age 8, Eunice age 5, John age 4 and L.D. age 1. All four kids birth place was listed as Kentucky. The census was taken on August 8, 1850. A Kentucky Land Grant shows that Jonas owned 15 acres in Monroe County, Kentucky in 1850 also.

On the 1860 census he listed his name as J. A. Copass and Jonas is 42 years old. The family is still living in Monroe County, Kentucky. It has his wife listed at S.S. and she is listed as 36 years old. I do believe this is still Sarah but her age listing on this census and the last census does not add up? Which was not uncommon back in these days to list the wrong age. They listed 5 children; Eunice age 16, John age 14, L.D. age 11, M.A. age 9 and J.J. age 1. M.A. Copass and J.J. Copass birth place is listed as Kentucky. Jonas and Sarah son William is not listed on the 1860 census. There is a record that shows a William H. Copass age 18 passed away on February of 1860 in Monroe County, Kentucky. His death was listed as unknown. This census was taken on July, 2 1860.

On the 1870 census Jonas is listed at 52 years old and the family is still living in Monroe County, Kentucky. His wife's name is listed as Sarah S. Copass and shows her age to be 48. They listed two children living with them and they were Mary A. Copass age 17 and Elizabeth E. Copass age 8. Elizabeth was also born in Kentucky. The family's last name is spelled Copas on this census. J.J. Copass was not listed with the family on this census. He would be around 10 to 11 years old so he should still be living with the family at that age. Since he is not listed I do believe that J.J. Copass died at a young age between July of 1860 and when this census was taken which was June, 13 1870. The only record to date for J.J Copass is the 1860 census. His memory also should not be forgotten.

After the 1870 census there is no other record's for Jonas. I'm not sure what exactly happened to him or the precise date to when he passed away but most of all the family trees on Ancestry have him passing away on March of 1878 in Kentucky. Not sure where that date came from but its what i'm using for now. Most likely he is buried in an unmarked grave in Monroe County, Kentucky.

His wife Sarah S. Copass is living in Clay County, Tennessee on the 1880 census with daughter's Mary A. Copass age 23 and Elizabeth E. Copass and she listed her self as a Widowed. Sarah listed her age as 61. They have the last name spelled as Copas

Any other help to Jonas story or details about burial please send me an email. Jonas is my 4th great-grandfather and may his memory live forever.